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Director of Business Development, Congoleum Corporation
I have just transitioned from a larger corporation to a role at a smaller organization where I can take more of a front seat role. I will get to wear a lot of different functional hats. I’m looking forward to taking classes at Booth that are out of my comfort zone and feel there will be a lot of growth and self-discovery. In 2021, I’m hoping to think about what I’d like the next five years to look like for me so I can make the most out of the rest of my time at Booth.
On a personal note, I’m from New England but currently live in Atlanta. I started looking at buying some land up in New England to have a place to go to in the summer so I’m laying out what that would look like in terms of financing and building that out. I’m also wrapping up renovating my home and it would be great to finish that as well!
Andy Ng, Evening MBA
Senior Pricing Actuary, AXIS Capital
In many ways, 2020 has shown me that I have lots to grow. I haven’t been a “new year’s resolution” type person in the past, but this is the year to grow. Goals are tough to stick with and with the pandemic throwing a wrench in our lifestyles, this year I’ve decided to do “new week resolutions” instead. With a shorter time commitment, I’ll be able to experiment with more aggressive goals and adjust as I see fit as circumstances may vary significantly this year.
On a personal level, my goals for the year revolve around these three themes: Read, Connect, Reflect.
Read: I’ve come to realize that reading books is one of the best ways to maximize knowledge consumption. I have a few books on my to-read list to kick start the year, Atomic Habits, Peak Performance, and Principles by Ray Dalio. My current weekly goal is to spend 30 minutes reading every day – and if I’m too busy that day, I’ll have to listen to an audiobook during my nightly shower.
Connect: I’ve crossed paths with so many people who have enriched my life and I have so much to be thankful for, so I’ll write daily thank you notes. Look out for one!
Reflect: Life can get really busy when you’re studying for an MBA while working full time, sprinkle in the never-ending distractions on our smartphones and there’s no more time to think big. Blocking out time for a (15, 30, 45, 60) minute daily reflection walk (without any technology) will clear the mind and burn off some of those pandemic calories!
On a professional level, now that I’m going through my last couple quarters at Booth, my goal is to focus on doing a lot of soul searching and really think about what kind of leader I want to be, how I can positively impact the world and people around me. Given the very flexible structure of the Booth MBA program, my strategy towards class planning was to take the hard technical classes upfront to challenge myself, then finish up with soft skill leadership classes. Classes such as Leadership Studio (with Harry Davis) and Leadership Capital (with Linda Ginzel) will serve as great capstone courses that will tie my entire Booth journey together and help define my leadership brand as I move into the next stage of my career.
Tess Watson, Evening MBA
Fall Associate, O'Brien-Staley Partners
My resolution for school this year would be to broaden my network at Booth, get to know more students and join more clubs or groups. Joining clubs gives you a built-in network with a common interest and those relationships can be really fulfilling. I'm on my cohort’s PPC (“Party Planning Committee”) and in the Credit Club, but I haven't joined a club purely for social reasons. My school year resolution is to join a group or club just for fun.
In terms of my career, I hope to continue to make strides towards a career in private debt investing. I spent the Fall as an Associate at O'Brien-Staley Partners and I am taking Debt, Distress and Restructuring with Amir Sufi in the coming quarter. This should set me up for success in achieving that goal!
On a personal note, in the new year my resolution is to make more time for self-care. 2020 was a chaotic year and 2021 calls for some more “me” time!
In celebration of Pride Month, we connected with Booth Pride co-chairs to discuss their involvement in the LGBTQ+ student group, along with what makes Chicago a great place to be during Pride Month.
Curious about whether to take the Executive Assessment (EA), GMAT, or GRE? Wondering in which quarter you should apply? Our Part-Time Admissions team has answers to these questions and more.
For many Boothies, joining student-led groups and clubs provides them with a sense of fellowship during the MBA experience and long after. Learn more about some of our student-led groups and clubs within the Part-Time Program at Chicago Booth.
